Chili icing on the cake (BuckyNat week 2017)
by Mon-Kishu
Summary: BuckyNat Mini-Bang Week 2017 tribute #2 - Nat bakes a cake for Bucky's 100 birthday and uses chili for the red color on the icing that forms his star. What began as a disaster ends in fluff and domestic bliss.


**Chili icing on the cake**

 **BuckyNat mini-bang week 2017 #2**

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 _This one almost wrote itself. I did it on my phone during grocery shopping so you might know what stuff I passed while I wrote XD_

 _The cover is on devart with Mon-Kishu as Black Widow and JamesPrince as the Winter Soldier. [add the usual stuff in front] art/Winter-Soldier-Black-Widow-Cosplay-Bucky-Natasha-604768264_

 _Thought you might enjoy a little OTP pic cookie with the story._

 _I wish I had this idea about the cake's icing when I did my 100th birthday tribute for Bucky . "Young and stealthy - 100 years of James Bucky Barnes 3/10/1917 - Winter Soldier Black Widow Cosplay " watch?v=6M836iMNM0o_

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"Thank you, Natalia." He wanted to kiss her but didn't dare. Before the silence became too awkward and the wax ruined the birthday cake he sucked in a deep breath. James marveled at the red and silver icing that formed a red star as he blew out the candles. (100. Damn he was getting old.) A wish was on his mind as he did so that might never fulfill itself. Although the woman he desired was standing right behind him.

Expertly she cut the cake for him, putting a piece on a plate. "The thing is I am able to light all the candles in time for the cake to look good. But I fear I might…" she watched how James swallowed a bite and saw him freezing, then the color of his face changed drastically. "... lack some basic baking skills."

James coughed and tried to get the bone dry mass of ingredients down before his stomach decided for the other direction.

Natasha handed him a glass of water and he gulped it down eagerly. "I already dreaded it would be that bad. Sorry…" Then she reached for the vodka. "You might need that too."

"No." He said after finally regaining his ability to speak. How can a woman so skilled in everything she worked on be so fundamentally bad at baking? "It's fine. Delicious. I like it." He tried his best poker face yet failed terribly.

"I'm so sorry." Damn she had ruined everything, yet again… This was such a special day for him, one he could not celebrate with his closest, oldest friend. Steve was on a mission that had gone south last night. He wouldn't be there in time for the party. And most of the other Avengers were out there with him. The Black Widow was the only one staying behind because a healing gunshot wound made her useless in the field and there was someone required to babysit the trigger friendly brainwashed assassin. "Just dump it out of the window. I won't hold it against you."

If he threw that abomination out of the tower's window someone would get hurt. (And yes in an emergency like that he would smash one with his arm and had a good excuse for Tony that the billionaire would believe.) That thing might even cause an earthquake or maybe require decontamination by the CDC. "What the hell is in that cake? Chili?" The icing had a suspiciously intensive red color.

"I just needed something for the star to be in the right shade." She murmured while biting her lower lip. "I thought it was 'sweet' chili and the sharpness would be gone after the baking."

"But the silver is not made of quicksilver, right?" He just had ask.

Natasha froze which worried him before she began to chuckle. "No. It's all… food stuff. Just not the right combination."

"So, Widow, how will you make it up to me, ruining the birthday cake?" He asked daringly and leaned in closer. Since weeks they had been dancing around each other. This was a moment he could not just let pass. A talk (interrogation) with Clint had proven his suspicions a few days ago. If he didn't make a move soon… well, he'd go back to cryo willingly. Because one more lonely night with thoughts about her would kill the mechanics of his metal hand.

"Don't expect me to sing a song for you." She held up her hands in defense.

"Oh what a nice idea. I am sure you have a wonderful voice. Although a "Happy Birthday" isn't exactly what I want to hear." He gave her his best charming grin.

"Then what do you want to hear?" Natasha became aware of the corset she was wearing beneath the pullover and jogging pants. She was nothing if not prepared. There was still a stupid little trash plushie if he decided against this more intimate present.

Now or never. "I want to make you sing to the tune I play on your body…"

She grabbed him by the collar and pressed a desperate kiss on his lips. "I thought you'd never ask."

"Time's change." He replied with a hint of bitterness.

"Hopefully not that much." For ages she had wanted to ask him what he remembered of their time in the Red Room.

"I think I still remember how to push your buttons." James whispered as he kissed that spot behind her ear that made her tremble.

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The next morning James and Natasha awoke to Steve's laughter and the words: "I told you. Now pay up, Stark. And make sure the honeymoon goes to one of your private islands Pepper spoke to Sharon about."

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It had taken her five years and a daughter to finally manage to create something edible. Tony even joked that having "a bun in the oven" should have turned every woman into a good baker - well, not her.

Right now Natasha watched her daughter looking at the cookies behind the glass window, waiting to announce when she deemed them ready. And the little girl was never wrong.

Rose Nicole Stephanie Romanoff-Barnes. (Yeah Nat was a modern woman, wanting to keep her last name and also, there were a few people to give the honor of becoming uncles as well as namesakes.) The miracle none of them would have thought possible until Helen Cho's cradle and the "super" aspect in Bucky's super soldier enhanced sperm had finally done the trick.

Thanks to growing up with younger sisters James had easily fallen into the new mission, being a father. For Natasha it had been difficult because… this hadn't been in her training. But the moment James had put the tiny screaming baby into her arms after an ocean worth of tears and pain (oh how much she had cursed Bucky's super sperm during those long, long hours), she had fallen for her. The beautiful red strands of hair, the rosy lips and… those eyes. She had Bucky's eyes, so clear and kind and sweet and…

Exactly these wonderful windows to the soul that saw past all the red in her ledger were now looking at her innocently. "Mommy, they are ready now."

Natasha hoped the dried plum pieces they had added didn't ruin the taste like the chili had done in the icing of the birthday cake.

As soon as the baking sheet hit the counter a skilled assassin had sneaked up on them and snatched one of the cookies. After the first bite Bucky smiled at them. "Delicious."

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 _Please review ^^_


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